A Month of Windows Server 2008 Tips - Week 4

A Month of Windows Server 2008 Tips - Week 4

Use Windows PowerShell to Manage Virtual MachinesHere are a few examples of how you can use Windows PowerShell scripts to manage virtual machines running on a Server Core installation. Note that these scripts are presented as samples and may need to be customized to work in your environment.

Create a New Failover Cluster in 12 StepsOnce you’ve thoroughly researched and planned your implementation of Failover clusters, you’re ready to actually create the cluster. The mechanism to create and manage Failover clusters is the Cluster Administrator application, part of the Administrative Tools folder. Here are the 12 easy steps!

Create and Use Starter GPOsWhen you create a new GPO in the GPMC, you are given the opportunity to base the new GPO on a starter GPO. Because the settings of the starter GPO are then imported into the new GPO, you can use a starter GPO to define the base configuration settings for a new GPO. Here are the steps you need to follow to create a starter GPO.

Uncover Memory-Related BottlenecksMemory is often the source of performance problems, and you should always rule out memory problems before examining other areas of the system. Here’s an overview of counters that you’ll want to track to uncover memory, caching, and virtual memory (paging) bottlenecks.

Monitor and Tune Network Bandwidth and ConnectivityNo other factor matters more to the way a user perceives your server’s performance than the network that connects your server to the user’s computer. The delay, or latency, between when a request is made and the time it’s received can make all the difference. To determine the throughput and current activity on a server’s network cards, you can check these counters.